A new kind of lazy...

[Skybug]

hahahaha when you get ready to change it up add a bit of water. It will make it some what soft again so you can get it out.

When Dex was a baby that's how hard I'd make it. Added more water than it required so that it didn't crumble much. Didn't want him eating any little pieces. Once I even had it so it looked like an arid desert patch. It got little hairline cracks in it as it dried so it looked like hard baked ground. Had no crumble at all (I had to fill in a few cracks as they were a little bigger and I didn't want him getting a foot stuck in them - lol) He'd scurry across it like a road runner. 'Course he wasn't digging much then. As he grew I slowly added less and less water. Now its soft enough for him to dig, but still wet enough that I can mold as I want. Doesn't take as long to dry now either.

Okay ill try what you did , about how many bags did it take for what u did? I like how u made steps it looks really good, i filled in my cracks with some sand , i too was worried about steffern bendy toes..

 

[Dexter_Dragon]

Okay ill try what you did , about how many bags did it take for what u did? I like how u made steps it looks really good, i filled in my cracks with some sand , i too was worried about steffern bendy toes..

I used 3 10 lb bags for his tank this time. I'll tell you a secret, though. Under his basking spot is a large, square plastic bowl. lol It adds support and you'll use less clay. I set it where I wanted and packed the clay over and around it then shaped the little steps up.

Yeah, not good if they got their little toes stuck. I had a bit of left over clay so I filled in the cracks that were concerning. lol

 

[Skybug]

I used 3 10 lb bags for his tank this time. I'll tell you a secret, though. Under his basking spot is a large, square plastic bowl. lol It adds support and you'll use less clay. I set it where I wanted and packed the clay over and around it then shaped the little steps up.

Yeah, not good if they got their little toes stuck. I had a bit of left over clay so I filled in the cracks that were concerning. lol

Genius! I thought of propping up the clay with some thing, I’ve heard you can do it with a balloon or a toilet paper roll ? butwith that it seemed too flimsy, can he get underneath it or is it just empty space?

 

[Dexter_Dragon]

Genius! I thought of propping up the clay with some thing, I’ve heard you can do it with a balloon or a toilet paper roll ? butwith that it seemed too flimsy, can he get underneath it or is it just empty space?

lol. Yeah, I've seen some videos where balloons and rolls were used. It's what gave me the idea. I left the lid on the bowl, flipped it upside down and packed clay around it. Good idea though. Cut a door in the bowl and use it as a hidey.

 

[Skybug]

lol. Yeah, I've seen some videos where balloons and rolls were used. It's what gave me the idea. I left the lid on the bowl, flipped it upside down and packed clay around it. Good idea though. Cut a door in the bowl and use it as a hidey.

Thanks for all the ideas!! Definitely gonna try out the tupperwear bowl idea, get it higher and use less material wonderful, i dont think ive ever seen dexs whole enclosure, do you think I could sneak a peak? I wont judge.

 

[Dexter_Dragon]

Thanks for all the ideas!! Definitely gonna try out the tupperwear bowl idea, get it higher and use less material wonderful, i dont think ive ever seen dexs whole enclosure, do you think I could sneak a peak? I wont judge.

Welcome! If you do the bowl hidey let me see. I might try that next. lol I did watch some vidoes on creating your own decerative caves and mountains using styrofoam and special potters clay/paint. Have you seen those? I think I'm going to create some for his big tank.

It's been a while since I posted his whole tank. lol I did when I first joined, but it was more to get help setting him up. Right now he's waiting for an upgrade. I'll see if I can get some pics today or tomorrow for you. Usually I'm focused on him so don't think to get the full tank. I'm not worried about judgement. Dex and I figured out together (with help from you all) what works and what doesn't for him specifically. He's grown into a fine, handsome guy from a teeny baby so we must be doing something right.

 

[Dexter_Dragon]

Here you go. Tried to get as close as I could, but still get everything. Notice my phones slanted. hahaha 'Course he's chilling in his hidey so you can't see him, little bugger. Looks like he made a mess with his morning salad that I need to clean up, too. He's been a little off his feed last few days. I think he's getting ready to shed. All his symptoms are there. His bath is scheduled for tomorrow so hopefully that might speed things up. Don't worry the stick ons were there when I got the tank. I do have a couple different probe thermometers. Can't tell, but the hanging plants are ahead of his UVB so they don't interfere.

 

[Zontar’s Mom]

Here you go. Tried to get as close as I could, but still get everything. Notice my phones slanted. hahaha 'Course he's chilling in his hidey so you can't see him, little bugger. Looks like he made a mess with his morning salad that I need to clean up, too. He's been a little off his feed last few days. I think he's getting ready to shed. All his symptoms are there. His bath is scheduled for tomorrow so hopefully that might speed things up. Don't worry the stick ons were there when I got the tank. I do have a couple different probe thermometers. Can't tell, but the hanging plants are ahead of his UVB so they don't interfere.
View attachment 26494

beautiful viv

 

[Dexter_Dragon]

beautiful viv

Thanks! He definitely needs the upgrade though. My mother-in-law (quite handy with the tools) is doing up a simple design for a stand to put his new tank on. Right now I don't have anything big enough. Just waiting for the word to get what she needs.

Dex decided it was time to come out and bask! lol Managed to get a pic with him in it.

 

[Skybug]

Thanks! He definitely needs the upgrade though. My mother-in-law (quite handy with the tools) is doing up a simple design for a stand to put his new tank on. Right now I don't have anything big enough. Just waiting for the word to get what she needs.

Dex decided it was time to come out and bask! lol Managed to get a pic with him in it.

I Have seen those Styrofoam diy things I actually made 3 different sets For steffern when she was a baby she completely tore it to shreds i even put caulking or some type of sealer over it and put sand all over it to strengthen it up , but she still completely destroyed them ,I personally wouldn’t recommend those if your beardie destroys things , although i was watching a couple different diy background ideas and there is a “masonry paint” i cant remember the name off the top of my head (lockit, locktite) something “lock” , basically its paint that hardens like concrete (Its weird its like concrete in a can, and you can add dye into it) i seen someone do a background for their fish so it must be pretty safe , i like dexs tank, hes a lucky lizard, im definitely gonna do more clay in stefferns.

 

[lisakrause1]

View attachment 26352
So my beardie steffern usually crawls out of her hide when her lights come on and she usually is upright head up and not being a lazy slob, any of your guys/gals beardies ever bask like this? View attachment 26353

He does an amazing "side-eye"! What a handsome guy. I also love his enclosure, looks so natural. Can you post some more pics of his home. The floor by his cave looks like pieces of shale with sand?

 

[Dexter_Dragon]

I Have seen those Styrofoam diy things I actually made 3 different sets For steffern when she was a baby she completely tore it to shreds i even put caulking or some type of sealer over it and put sand all over it to strengthen it up , but she still completely destroyed them ,I personally wouldn’t recommend those if your beardie destroys things , although i was watching a couple different diy background ideas and there is a “masonry paint” i cant remember the name off the top of my head (lockit, locktite) something “lock” , basically its paint that hardens like concrete (Its weird its like concrete in a can, and you can add dye into it) i seen someone do a background for their fish so it must be pretty safe , i like dexs tank, hes a lucky lizard, im definitely gonna do more clay in stefferns.

Oh, could to know on the easy to destroy. They looked rather rugged. Dex totally destroyed the rock plant I got him. hahaha I took the pieces and stuck them in his drying clay around his basking spot and they don't seem to bother him there. I hid the now plantless rock just under his log. He can't bother it. hahahaha Thinking he would probably destroy those styrofoam things then. lol Oooo I'll have to go check out the background videos. Thanks, Skybug.

Thanks, I'm planning on setting up his upgrade similar to this one. As you know my guy does not like change. He's a resister. hahahaha

 

[Dexter_Dragon]

He does an amazing "side-eye"! What a handsome guy. I also love his enclosure, looks so natural. Can you post some more pics of his home. The floor by his cave looks like pieces of shale with sand?

IKR! He dislikes the camera so he gives me the side-eye constantly when I'm taking his picture. lol He'll win in a stare down every time, too. hahahahaha

Thanks! I'm planning on settting up his new tank similar to this one. I don't use shale or sand. His substrate is excavator clay. He's been digging inside his hidey and kicking out the lose clay with his back feet. That's why it looks a little more textured then the rest of his tank.

 

[Dexter_Dragon]

Oh, could to know on the easy to destroy. They looked rather rugged. Dex totally destroyed the rock plant I got him. hahaha I took the pieces and stuck them in his drying clay around his basking spot and they don't seem to bother him there. I hid the now plantless rock just under his log. He can't bother it. hahahaha Thinking he would probably destroy those styrofoam things then. lol Oooo I'll have to go check out the background videos. Thanks, Skybug.

Thanks, I'm planning on setting up his upgrade similar to this one. As you know my guy does not like change. He's a resister. hahahaha

Oh, *good* to know . . . lol typing too fast.

 

[Skybug]

Oh, could to know on the easy to destroy. They looked rather rugged. Dex totally destroyed the rock plant I got him. hahaha I took the pieces and stuck them in his drying clay around his basking spot and they don't seem to bother him there. I hid the now plantless rock just under his log. He can't bother it. hahahaha Thinking he would probably destroy those styrofoam things then. lol Oooo I'll have to go check out the background videos. Thanks, Skybug.

Thanks, I'm planning on setting up his upgrade similar to this one. As you know my guy does not like change. He's a resister. hahahaha

I thought so too, I did everything I could to strengthen it but alas she still ends up exposing the styrofoam, I might get that masonry paint the next time I'm at lowes,ill take a picture of the can , it'll be interesting to see how Dex reacts to his upgrade, I've changed Stefferns enclosure so much over the year I've had her I don't think she minds to much, we'll see if she still wants outside time as much, I'll be doing her new enclosure soon, my electric chainsaw got here a a week ago and I now know how to use it correctly and have the proper safety equipment so I'm eager to go chop down a log and hollow it out I'll post pics when I do

 

[Skybug]

He does an amazing "side-eye"! What a handsome guy. I also love his enclosure, looks so natural. Can you post some more pics of his home. The floor by his cave looks like pieces of shale with sand?

Idk if you ment my beardie or barbs? My beardie is female,.. But here's some pics anyway lol, yes that's shale(highly recommend) sand on top of excavator clay substrate, the right side is clay balls for a drainage layer(wouldn't recommend) , coco fiber mixed with sand(play sand specifically) and a medium amount of dirt, the top layer is reptibark and wood chips mixed together, plants are fake, my beardie doesn't respect plants, backgrounds are cork bark tile and sand matts.

 

[Skybug]

Oh, could to know on the easy to destroy. They looked rather rugged. Dex totally destroyed the rock plant I got him. hahaha I took the pieces and stuck them in his drying clay around his basking spot and they don't seem to bother him there. I hid the now plantless rock just under his log. He can't bother it. hahahaha Thinking he would probably destroy those styrofoam things then. lol Oooo I'll have to go check out the background videos. Thanks, Skybug.

Thanks, I'm planning on setting up his upgrade similar to this one. As you know my guy does not like change. He's a resister. hahahaha

The YouTuber is serpadesign, he does lots of bio actives and moss/bug cultures